INEC Fixes October 9 for Nationwide PVC Collection Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed October 9, 2026, for the commencement of nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the date in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff, where he also disclosed that more than 10.7 million new voters had registered through the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
According to Amupitan, a total of 10,772,421 registrations were recorded across the three phases of the exercise. He said the figures are subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which is currently being concluded.
The first phase, conducted from August 25 to December 10, 2025, recorded 2,611,266 registrations. The second phase, held between January 5 and April 17, 2026, recorded 4,121,835 registrations, while the third phase, which ran from May 11 to July 26, 2026, recorded 3,867,997.
The INEC chairman directed electoral officials to address operational challenges that could disrupt PVC collection, particularly in rural communities. He also urged staff to maintain neutrality and professionalism, noting that their conduct at local government areas, registration area centres and polling units would influence public confidence in the electoral process.
Amupitan warned that poor administrative performance could encourage misinformation and weaken trust in the electoral process. He said delays in opening polling units, perceived bias and failure to address technical problems could fuel voter apathy and disinformation.
He also referenced Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said requires electoral officials and security personnel participating in elections to swear an oath of loyalty and neutrality. He stressed that officials must carry out their duties without favouring any candidate or political party.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amupitan said the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027. INEC also appealed to traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their PVCs and said registered voters can check their PVC status and designated collection centres through its official portal.